How to Check a Child's Hair for Lice

Step-by-Step Guide

1. 1

   Step 1: Wash your child's hair.

   Be sure to use shampoo and conditioner.
   
   The resulting moisture at the root of your child's hair, where lice thrive, may temporarily prevent their movement along the scalp.Conditioner will also make it easier to comb through your child's hair.
   
   Use a comb containing gaps no more than
   0.2mm., Use a wide-toothed comb to straighten out any tangles or knots in the hair. , Now that your child's hair is clean and straight, you can begin to inspect their scalp more closely for lice. , Have your child sit perfectly still.
   
   Use a room with good lighting, or sufficient natural light from outside.
   
   Drape a white-colored cloth across your child's shoulders while searching.
   
   This way if any lice fall off your child's head while searching, the lice can be collected and easily discarded.
   
   If necessary, have a flashlight or headlamp handy so that you can examine the roots more carefully.
   
   You may also want to have a magnifying glass on hand to be sure you don't miss anything. , You can hold the brush in place with each stroke to systematically search for lice.
   
   This will allow you to thoroughly examine each section of your child's head.
   
   Pay extra attention to the area of the scalp around the ears and at the nape of the neck.
   
   Although lice can live anywhere on the scalp, these areas tend to be tell-tale regions during an infestation., Nits are about the size of a pinhead and are glued onto the hair shaft.
   
   They are oval-shaped and translucent in color when first laid, but turn brown as the embryo develops., Look for lice and their eggs (nits). , Adult lice are light brown and their bodies will be about the size of a sesame seed.
   
   Nits may be brown, yellow, or white.Closely examine the comb's teeth both during and after each comb stroke, using a magnifying glass if necessary.
   
   If examining under a blacklight, the nits will appear as light blue in color., This will remove any lice that were picked up during combing.
   
   It will also wash away any dandruff your child might have, which can resemble lice nits., It may be more effective to repeat this process, as lice can move around on the scalp.
2. 2

   Step 2: Comb your child's hair.

3. 3

   Step 3: Switch to a lice removal comb.

4. 4

   Step 4: Make sure you'll be able to see.

5. 5

   Step 5: Start at the scalp and brush out firmly to the ends of your child's hair.

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   Step 6: Check near the hair follicle

7. 7

   Step 7: about 1/4-inch (6 mm) to 1/2-inch from the scalp

8. 8

   Step 8: for eggs (called nits).

9. 9

   Step 9: Inspect the comb's teeth after each stroke.

10. 10

    Step 10: Understand what to look for.

11. 11

    Step 11: Rinse the comb under a faucet after each stroke or dislodge the lice using a piece of wet toilet paper.

12. 12

    Step 12: Work over each region of your child's head at least once.

Detailed Guide

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